


Today

by MycroftFeels



Category: The World's End (2013)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 22:03:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,147
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3666867
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MycroftFeels/pseuds/MycroftFeels
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Two Garys means two of a lot of things. Gary and his blank discuss a somewhat particular day.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Today

They had sent both Garys out scavenging that day. They were good at it, true, and they also liked hanging out with each other -after the initial friction of there being two Gary Kings and having to share… well, everything, really (even their identity) they had actually become quite close-, but neither was feeling quite as cheerful as usual that day.   
They had been walking in silence for what seemed to be hours now. They were heading back for camp, but it felt like they were heading to Mordor. It must have been early afternoon, but they were both eager to get there and call it a day. 

“I know what today is, by the way.”

Gary was almost startled by the boy’s voice; he hadn’t been expecting him to speak at all. Much less that particular comment.

“Oh” was the only thing he could manage at the moment.

“It doesn’t matter really, it’s not like it means anything to me, obviously” he said with a chuckle that didn’t seem completely sincere. 

“ ‘s all right” Gary shrugged. “We can share, I guess. We wouldn’t be the first two people on earth to share a birthday.” Gary dedicated his blank a smile that tried to be comforting.

“I wasn’t born, Gary” the boy said without missing a beat. “I don’t age either. Why would I want a birthday?”

There was a moment of silence between the two. Gary couldn’t help but worry. He knew what it was like being Gary King, obviously; it was confusing, and painful, and exhausting. Gary King was fragile beneath the mask. And blank Gary wasn’t even the real deal. Gary couldn’t even imagine what that must have felt like for him. How many more identity crisis could he handle, really?

“Anyway…” the boy continued “happy birthday.”

They both fell silent again. Gary looked to the ground for a second with his lips pursed, thinking.

“You do like cake anyway, don’t you?” he asked looking up towards him, a devious smile crossing his lips.

Blank Gary seemed a bit confused when he turned to look at Gary. “Sure…” he shrugged. “Something to do with the programming, I guess. They wanted us to feel human as well as looking human. Eating helps with recharging too, as well as sleeping… which is practical and discrete, considering it’s what actual humans do. So, yeah, I guess making us actually like food makes sense, since it makes the whole thing easier.” They kept walking and then blank Gary turned to look at him again. “Why?”  
Gary stared right ahead, and gestured to their camp, which had just appeared before them. The most rudimentary banner hung between two trees, reading ‘Happy Birthday Garys!’ in big black letters, and crowning a cheerful looking group of blanks beneath. 

“Wha…” blank Gary begun before he interrupted himself by shaking his head and chuckling. “Oh, my God, you’re fucking nerds, you know that?” His eyes went wide when he saw what Andy’s blank was holding in his hands. “You actually baked a cake? How did you keep Steve from eating it all?” As Steve rolled his eyes, blank Gary actually snatched the cake from Andy’s hands and sat down, staring at it. “You know it’s not my actual birthday, right?”  
They all sat beside him, one by one, forming a circle. 

“Of course it is, come on. Gary, am I right?” Steve turned to look at the other Gary, still standing, his arms crossed over his chest. 

“Yeah. Or, if you prefer, just a day where we celebrate you being on this nasty earth with us.”

Blank Gary nodded silently. He smiled. “You knew they were doing this, didn’t you?”

“I, my friend, provided most of the ingredients for your cake. Cause not even you are a better scavenger than I am. ” Gary declared with a smug smile on his face.

“Oh, is that right?” blank Gary said, setting his cake aside and standing up again, a smile identical to the other Gary’s playing on his lips. “You think you’re so sneaky, don’t you, old man?”

Gary huffed a laugh “You could certainly learn a thing or two from me, kid.” 

“Oh, like being such a smart, sly guy, right? Doing things behind people’s backs?”

“Yeah, that’s a good example.” Gary said, still smiling smugly. 

“Something like this?” blank Gary’s expression softened as he and the other blanks turned to look behind Gary’s back.

Gary was absolutely befuddled for a second. Then he turned, and his smile fell.

“Andy?”

His friend stood there before him, same old Andy he remembered, with his stupid beaten up lawyer glasses, and his grown up shirt, and his receding hairline. His Andy. And he   
looked so happy.

“Happy birthday, Gary.” He smiled, and Gary couldn’t help but mimic him.

“H-how they find you?” Gary stuttered.

“We’re sneaky!” Pete exclaimed from behind him.

“There’s still a sort of connection between blanks that can be useful at times. Like a messaging system. We just had to ask around.” Oliver added with his usual factual tone, but trying to contain an obvious smile.

“I heard Gary King had baked a bloody cake, and I just had to see it for myself.” Andy said.

“I did most of the baking, though… Gary kept wasting eggs by trying to juggle them, mostly.” Blank Andy intervened.

Andy nodded at the comment. “Sounds about right.”

As the others began to cut the cake Andy turned to Gary again. He spoke in a whisper. “So… They said…” he cleared his throat, giving himself time to gather the confidence he needed to say what he wanted to say. “You’re sober now?”

“Over a year now!” Gary exclaimed right away. “It was a year in November. Right after... you know.” The smile that had suddenly appeared at the beginning of the sentence faded a bit as he kept talking. “I wanted to find you… to let you know… I just wanted to be sure, you know?”   
Andy nodded, his lips in a tight line of a smile, his eyes to the ground. He looked up back at Gary and put a hand on his shoulder with a sigh. “I’m proud of you.” He laughed. “I know it’s cheesy but… I am. I didn’t think I’d see you again, Gary. Like this…” he shook his head, pressing his lips.

Gary ran a hand through his hair, trying not to smile too wide, or get too teary eyed. “I’m glad to see you too.”  
He turned to look to the blanks, and then back at Andy. “You know those damn bastards are gonna eat the whole thing before we can have any if we don’t stop them.”  
Andy plunged ahead with the most determined look Gary had ever seen in his life. “Out of my way. Ok, ok, leave a bit for the rest, all right? Rude ass fuckers.”


End file.
